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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24830362">Your Move</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superdale33/pseuds/Superdale33'>Superdale33</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>101 Dalmatian Street (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A Typical Day with the Dalmatians, Chess, Dolly is Focused When She Wants to Be, Family antics, Gen, Mystery, One Shot, Short Story, Sibling Bonding, Slice of Life, siblings being siblings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:28:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,606</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24830362</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superdale33/pseuds/Superdale33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dolly sets up a Chess game and moves a piece out of spite. She stumbles across it later to find an opposing piece has been moved.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Your Move</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dolly set the last pawn on the chess board and groaned. Her eyes narrowed at the stray dust she had missed and wiped it away from the wood. Another nudge of the queen centered it on its tile. She stood to study each side of the board. White pieces on her side, black on the other, both mirrored like the manual instructed. The stage was set.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I really that bored?” she asked herself. Her gaze flitted along the stacked boxes in the corner of the attic. Her snout slid the game closer to the wall. No way would she let anyone know she set it up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The quiet air burned her ears, and she resisted the urge to flip the board to create a racket. Dylan would lecture her for hours if the pups woke from their nap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stared at the little white figures. They were detailed with regality as though Clarissa herself had carved them. She was the type to love these kinds of games, and taunted Dolly because she didn’t. A lack of refinement, an abysmal etiquette, or other such nonsense that would have Dolly’s insides boil.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grunting, Dolly set her paw on a pawn on the far left side. White went first. She moved it two spaces forward before crossing her arms. The silence pressed against her. A thump downstairs had her ear twitch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha!” Dolly pointed to the other side. “Take that, you pompous powderpuff!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her chest rose and fell. Her smirk slid off as her body slouched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I really am that bored.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pushed off for the hatch, kicking away the torn teddy bear which had kept her attention for all of two minutes. A stray thought to put the board away blabbed at her in her head. A glance back saw it hidden well enough in the corner and overshadowed by a tall table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Meh.” She shrugged and trotted down the steps.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>A black pawn had moved. Dolly tightened her jaw over the ball. The pups called for it back down the steps. A couple hours of running through the house, yet this was what spiked her heartbeat. She made to leave, let the board eat her dust like it had for years, yet every step mocked her for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took one look back before tossing the ball through the hatch. The pups were on it in seconds, dust shaking out of the rafters. Weaving through the legs of the table, Dolly squinted at the black pawn two spaces ahead. It was the same move as hers, sitting in front of her own pawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her head dipped to the board’s level with one eye open. Then she took a lap around the board, sniffling along. The must clogged her nose until she sneezed. No scent left behind. It could have been anyone. However, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> chess. She closed her eyes and heaved a long sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dylan!” she yelled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frantic steps padded across the hallway and up the ladder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan poked his head out. “What!? Who’s in trouble? Don’t tell mom and dad!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you move?” Dolly gestured to the board.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” Dylan blinked at her before his ears fell. “Oh, very funny, Dolly. Could you make sure it’s an emergency before you scream from a dark corner of the attic?” He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “Uh, why </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> you in a dark corner of the attic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just get over here, bro.” She waved him over. “I know you’re the one who did it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A great, exasperated sigh escaped Dylan. He heaved himself into the attic. The duster taped to his tail swept everything within reach. Dolly threw her paws at the sole black pawn out of place. Dylan stared at it, smacking his mouth as though parched. She jerked her head at him with an accusatory twinkle in her eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, brother,” Dylan said, rolling his eyes. “Did you want to play chess? You do realize the list of chores we have, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, I do!” Dolly straightened before shying away. “I think. But that’s not the point. I set this boring game up to prove I can be sophisticated by playing it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Moving a pawn doesn’t qualify as playing–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So why’d you move the pawn? Are you trying to mess with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan sighed through his nose and looked over her shoulder to take a cursory sweep of the board. His eyes focused the more he took in the pieces until he rubbed his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m guessing you moved the white pawn?” Dylan asked. Dolly nodded. He crept past her for a closer look, his duster brushing over her nose. She sputtered and flailed her arms before knocking his tail aside as he spun around to her. “And you think I moved the black pawn?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah,” Dolly said, waving out the cloud of dust Dylan had kicked up. “Who else would stumble upon a game of chess, move one pawn, and leave?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan raised a brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Dolly’s turn to roll her eyes. “Besides me. You play these kinds of games all the time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it wasn’t me.” He held a paw to his chest. “I was cleaning all morning.” A crash below followed by a shuffle of panicking pups had him sink his head. “And I’ll be cleaning all afternoon too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not polite to lie, bro,” she said, stepping close enough to stare eye to eye with him. “I can smell the fear off of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gross,” he said, pushing her back. “Why do you care anyway? You never bother with board games unless Hansel is involved.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care,” Dolly said. Her tail knocked a piece onto the floor. She dove for the queen, cradled it back onto its spot, and sighed. Dylan snickered until Dolly shot back to smush her snout against his. “So what’s it going to be? You ready to tell the truth?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The truth is you’re obsessed for reasons I can’t fathom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said the truth, not the obvious!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give it a rest, will ya?” Dylan stepped back to have her fall and catch herself in front of him. “I didn’t move anything, and you probably imagined someone did. Or moved it yourself to drag me into it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly gasped, taken aback.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh don’t act like that’s beneath you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly opened her mouth before clamping it shut in favor of a sheepish smile. “You got me there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dylan!” D.J. scrambled into the attic. A splash of pink paint had splattered the side of his face. “Da Vinci got paint all over my music sheets.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was an accident!” Da Vinci cried from below.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan let his tail go limp as he trudged after D.J. hurrying through the hatch. “One thing after another.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slipped through the hatch to leave Dolly staring at the board. A part of her knew Dylan was right. The game didn’t deserve her time. It was a wooden slab with little wooden figures sitting atop it. There wasn’t anything it could give her. She nodded at the finality and set off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rushed back, placed the rook behind her pawn, and left.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“See? See!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that’s generally what eyes do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t give me that lip, bro! The knight moved!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan sighed, lifting his head away from the board. “So, what? Your mysterious opponent moved the knight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, who else could it be?” Dolly asked, scratching her ear with her hind leg. She paused, then jabbed a finger at his nose. “And don’t say it’s me! You’re not off the hook either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan hummed before pacing around the board to sit across from Dolly. “Again, why is this what you raise a fuss about? And not the windows you still haven’t cleaned?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Dylan.” She leapt to her paws, tail wagging. “Aren’t you curious? I put the game together out of pure spite, but someone else wants to play! You have anything better to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan counted each claw on his paw. “Dishes, vacuuming, scolding the Dimitris, reading about Mars’ moons–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sweet, so you’re free.” Dolly caught him grumbling from the corner of her eye as she tipped a knight back and forth in its space. “We need to narrow down the suspects. So, since it’s in the attic, it only leaves our family as possibilities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that narrows it down,” Dylan grumbled. The rowdy din from the pups still made its way into the attic. He walked to the window to squint at the overcast sky. “It’s getting late. We should get the pups ready for you-know-what.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dinner. It was the same time every evening. He was right too, but to leave the game behind gave her an itch she couldn’t scratch. Dylan made to leave and got halfway to the hatch before Dolly lunged at him to grab his leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It can wait!” Dolly said. Her arms tightened when he tried to pull his leg free. “When we figure out who it is, the mystery’ll be solved, </span>
  <em>
    <span>then</span>
  </em>
  <span> you can go full Dylan on your chores.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Our</span>
  </em>
  <span> chores,” Dylan said through clenched teeth. He stared across to the wall. The cogs whirred inside his head as he tapped his paw. “If this was a prank, you wouldn’t wait this long to spring it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, exactly.” Dolly shuffled to her paws, nodding so fast her ears flapped uncontrollably. Her muscles eased, and she relaxed her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t believe I’m doing this,” he mumbled, rubbing his forehead. “If I help with this, can you promise that it won’t upend the house?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A scoff rumbled in her throat before swallowing it down. Dylan stared at her as though to gauge her reaction. It made her uncomfortable to see him so serious. At least, more than usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, Dyl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His relief had her suspect there was more to it, but shrugged it off. She had him on her side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan made a big show of plonking down on his haunches. “All right. Who else among our family would play a random game of chess?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dylan?” Dawkins poked his head out of the hatch. He scanned the attic before spotting them. “Ah, there you are. Deepak is complaining about the lack of organic, grain-free kibble. You put out an order for more, correct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly and Dylan looked to each other. “Dawkins.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” he asked with a wary eye as he climbed up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly rushed over to loop around him and press her head against his back. Dawkins made no resistance as she pushed him over to the board in the dim corner. He brightened at the sight, bouncing his paws when he sat before it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ohhhh, chess, is it?” he asked. His paw hovered over each individual piece, and his giddiness grew with each pass. “A battle of patience and stratagem. I wasn’t aware we even had a wooden board!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A likely story!” Dolly said, swatting his paw away. Dawkins flinched and held his paw. A flashlight clicked on and shined right into his squinting eyes. “We know you were the one responsible. No one else would play a game so tedious. So talk!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan sidled up to her. “Kinda over the top, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh, fine.” Dolly threw the flashlight back into one of the boxes before plopping down in front of Dawkins. He trembled with his arms up to defend himself. “Did you or did you not move the black pieces?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dawkins raised a shaky finger. “D-do I get the right to an attorney?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why so nervous?” Dolly slithered around him like a wolf circling its prey. “Got something to hide?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, don’t we all have something to hide?” he asked, refusing to take his eyes off her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In this line of work,” Dolly said with a grunt, lifting her chin, “you can’t hide anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan sighed and pressed his paw against Dolly’s face. “Okay, I’m taking it from here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gave a light shove that had Dolly lose her balance and land with a thud next to the board. Dawkins eyed her as though she would pounce, but Dylan cleared his throat to turn his attention to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you move a piece?” Dylan asked, jerking his head towards the board behind him. “Yes or no will suffice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dawkins blinked. “Um… no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Case closed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What!?” Dolly hurried to her paws. Dylan pursed his lips and refused to meet her glower. “But it’s gotta be him. Who else could it be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not Dawkins,” Dylan said. He gestured to him. “There’s no guilty look.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly studied Dawkins. His ears flopped to one side when he tilted his head. He was easier to read than most, and Dolly crossed her arms. The culprit was a lot harder to pin than she thought. Worse still, Dylan was right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guilty look or not,” Dolly said, “it doesn’t solve our mystery player.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that what we’re figuring out?” Dawkins asked as he peered past Dylan. Dylan nodded, and Dawkins approached the board. Dolly backed up for him to study the pieces. His paw lifted to rest on a white pawn and moved it one space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Dolly barked. “Put that back! It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> game, not yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dawkins winced and set the piece back. He cleared his throat. “My apologies. I didn’t realize you were invested in the match as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hardly.” She walked over to lift the knight on her side to sit ahead of her pawns. “I need to squeeze as much fun as I can outta this. Catch the other player off guard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As though chess lacks fun,” Dawkins said, shifting his jaw. He narrowed his eyes at her knight. “You forgot to move it to the side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly darted her gaze between him and the board. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A knight moves two spaces in any direction, then one space left or right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Dawkins wasn’t straight as an arrow – most of the time – she would have sworn he was messing with her. The opponent’s knight </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>crooked from its original spot. She nudged her knight to one side. Dawkins gave a sagely nod before scrutinizing the board. She could almost see the numbers compiling in his head. Calculations that had her pull to Dylan before she lost her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He eyed her with such intensity she jerked back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do know how to play the game, right?” Dylan asked, gesturing to her. “How each piece moves?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pft, of course,” Dolly waved off. A smirk emerged as she pranced to a cubby between a covered cabinet and a stack of suitcases. The box the game came in was still where she left it. The cover art was faded. Only the faint checkered pattern could be made out. She slid it out and flipped open the top. “I read the instruction… manual…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was empty. Her paws patted around the inside, eyes zipping to every corner, before lifting it upside down and shaking. Not even a speck of dust fell out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly tossed the box up. “It’s gone!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan shuffled in a panic before stretching over the board to catch the box in his mouth. He shook his head and spat it out. “The other player must have taken it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So if we find the manual…” Dolly gasped. “We find the player!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We could just wait here, ya know.” Dylan pointed straight down. “The pup will come up eventually to make their move.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And waste time sitting on our butts?” Dolly was halfway to the hatch. “We’ll find the player and get the kibble out before you can say bow-whaka-wow!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dolly–” Dylan started before she jumped out of the attic. He groaned and made his way to the hatch to ease himself down the steps. He popped back up. “Dawkins, keep me informed of the pups. Who knows how long this’ll take.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dawkins saluted. “Righto.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Bundles of steak bones flew out of the bin the deeper Dolly dug. Finding a black and white manual in a house like hers proved difficult. She should have seen it coming. Her paw brushed the bottom without even a slip of paper in sight, and she growled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sneaking some bones before supper, eh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly pulled her head out to find Delgado glaring at her from the kitchen door. He stormed in with such passion she would have laughed it off if his face wasn’t so tense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool your jets, Del.” She tossed a number of bones onto the floor. They clacked and bounced around one another. “I’m looking for a manual on chess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Delgado burst into a run and slid up to the bin. His wheels squealed against the tile. “Why do you need a manual on chess? Is it a cover for something else?” He advanced in a crouch. “Like, say, snacking before supper?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bone thrusted against her nose. Delgado had a smile big enough to hold two bones, and all Dolly could do was give a dull stare at the one he pressed against her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t lie,” he said. “I can smell ‘em a kilometer away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna take a wild guess. You’re looking for the manual too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Changing the subject?” Delgado asked. He lightly tossed the bone to himself. “A good choice if I didn’t see it coming!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly snatched the bone midair when he tossed it again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” he went to grab it, but she held it out of reach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No more buddy cop movies for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awww.” He backed away, ears drooping. “But I heard you do the same thing in the attic!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what I was afraid of.” She hopped off the bin and threw the bone behind her. It clunked on the rim and slid inside. There was a tinge of awe in Delgado’s eyes, even if he tried to hide it behind his pouting. Dolly smirked. “Be sure to clean up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She set off without a reply. His baffled sputters were enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she reached the hallway, a handful of pups rushed in from the back door. Some weaved around her, but one skidded to a halt. His eyes trailed up her body to her raised brow. There was a flash of panic that worried her, and she glanced around before patting his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your secret is safe with me,” she said. Whatever the secret was, she had no idea, but her smile widened when the pup beamed at her. He scrambled around her and hurried to join the others at the end of the hallway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all ran up the staircase by the time Dylan poked his head from the living room. His grouchiness radiated off him like an old-timer at a skatepark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dolly, did you see seven pups go by?” he asked. His eyes narrowed before she even opened her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head as she pranced up to him. “Don’t know, bro.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh,” he growled, heading back into the living room. “The pups are ruining their appetite. Let’s get this search over with so we can get the kibble out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sneeze within had Dolly pick up the pace after Dylan. Da Vinci sat at the center of the room, shivering. Dylan held her chin, tilting her head to look at her from all angles. One paw rested against her forehead while he held the other to his own. It wasn’t until Dylan pulled away did Dolly catch her red, irritated eyes. Not as bad as Dylan could get, but not something to ignore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not a cold or fever at least,” Dylan said. “Must be an allergic reaction. I didn’t think you had any allergies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci blinked and rubbed at her eyes. “Neither did I.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get some rest.” Dylan rested a paw on her shoulder. “I’ll bring up your food later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m good, thanks,” Da Vinci said through her clogged nose. She sniffled and tugged at her handkerchief before Dylan held a small box to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Use a tissue,” he said. Stern and firm with just a hint of brotherly love. Dolly rolled her eyes, but her smile never left her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Da Vinci blew her nose, she took the box with her up the stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now Da Vinci’s sick,” Dylan sighed, dropping the used tissue in the nearest wastebasket. “We gotta postpone this investigation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before you shrivel in worry?” Dolly asked, tapping his side. He frowned as he rubbed where she touched him. “Dawkins can handle this. We gotta find the manual like our life depends on it or it'll be lost to time! Or to the garbage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please.” Dylan made a big show of walking to a tipped over box of biscuits. His paw swept the crumbs as best it could. “It’s an instruction manual on chess, not the Magna Carta.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then treat it like it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> the magma carton!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another groan from Dylan as his paw scruffed the carpet. The crumbs sprung in different directions until he turned his glare to her. “The family comes first, Dolly. It’s not like the instruction manual is… with Diesel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know.” Dolly ground her teeth. “But what if we find the pup and he’s actually into chess? Could you imagine someone like Diesel learning chess?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan shook his head, jaw hanging open. “No, no, I mean, Diesel has the manual.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan pointed behind her where Diesel marched past the doorway. In his teeth was the manual, or what was left of it. He was pleased as a peach, dragging the torn paper around the banister with a strut to his walk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly and Dylan spared a glance to each other before bolting for the hallway. They slid along the laminated wood as they cornered. Diesel perked an ear and turned around with his unibrow furrowing. He returned to his bubbly smile and panted. The manual fluttered to his paws.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we havin’ a race?” he asked. Dolly scooped up the manual and flinched at the saliva still smothering the paper. She held it at arm's length.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’d you get this?” She waved it in front of him. Spit flew off with each flick. Diesel gave it a few test sniffs before humming with a hungry look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peanut butter,” he said. His tongue hung even lower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peanut butter?” Dylan asked. He took a whiff of the manual and reeled back with his nose wrinkling. “All I smell is you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Diesel snapped at the manual and Dolly pulled it away. “Hey, this is not a meal!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Diesel groaned, sinking onto his stomach with his paw held out. “But I’m so huuungry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ate the rest of the manual, didn’t you?” Dylan asked, deadpan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Diesel weaseled his tongue in the corner of his mouth as though wrestling his teeth for a morsel of food. After swallowing, he scrunched his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was kind of chewy,” he said, “like gnawing on a stick, but it smelled so good!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take your word for it,” Dylan said, eyeing the drool oozing off his jowls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly took a whiff herself. It definitely had Diesel’s scent on it, along with whatever he put in his mouth during his tunneling. She tossed it away like the rag it was. It clung to a framed picture with a wet plip. Dylan bit his lip with a disgusted shiver, but drew a shaky breath and turned his focus on Diesel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Paper is bad for your digestive tract,” he said with a finger in the air. “It can cause bloat if you eat too much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do know who you’re talking to, right?” Dolly asked, leaning her head in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Diesel stared up at them with his eyes apart. One paw scruffed the flooring to get to digging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan took a terse breath through his nose. “Don’t eat paper, Diesel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I want fooooood,” Diesel drummed his paws on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan set his own paws on top of his to stop them. “You’ll get some soon. I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, okay!” Diesel yanked his paws away and tottered up the steps. His giggles echoed through the foyer until they faded away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan whipped to Dolly. “We need to get the kibble out, now! Pups are sneaking snacks, and Diesel is eating paper!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chill, bro,” she said with a paw up. “We got a mega clue that’ll wrap this up quick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, peanut butter?” Dylan asked. He pulled his head back. “He was probably pretending he smelled it to give the paper flavor. We don’t have any peanut butter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe not,” Dolly said, rubbing her chin, “but definitely peanut butter flavored treats.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan held up his chin and squinted at her. “When did we get those?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly flinched. The words had slipped out by accident. D.J. was gonna kill her. She rolled her paw and made noises akin to words until Dylan approached her with a look that had her break out in sweat. She puffed her chest and kept her shoulders back. Her eyes closed to keep herself calm. There was nothing she had to say. He would groan and walk away like he always did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She peeked an eye open to find him glaring at her like she had committed the gravest transgression imaginable. She smiled weakly.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The final biscuit dropped into the trash bag with the rest. Watching Dylan toss each one was torture for Dolly. Her neck was stiff from refusing to glance at D.J.. She could feel his glare  drilling a hole through the side of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan tied the bag and dragged it past her. She followed him until her gaze landed on D.J.. He had a stare that would strike her dead if it could. It still wasn’t as intense as Dylan’s, and she shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan heaved the bag into a closet with a grunt and slammed it shut. It had Dolly and D.J. jump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what I think of peanut butter, D.J..” Dylan stood in front of him, and D.J. sulked. “Once you eat some, you’ll never get enough of it. Mom already said as much too. It’s better off out of the house.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Dolly said, “Dyl gets scary when it comes to peanut butter. Trust me on this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the one who snitched.” D.J. turned to her so fast his headphones slipped down his head. He hastily set them back over his ears. “Not cool, sis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I deserve it,” Dolly said. Her ears drooped. His eyes softened enough for Dolly to want to giggle. She had to keep up the facade. “After all, you went through all the trouble of smuggling them in. Maybe if you hadn’t eaten any–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t even get a chance!” D.J. said, throwing his arms up. His brows knitted together, and Dylan matched him to a tee. “It’s only been a week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” Her paw rose to her mouth. “Then someone must have found your stash.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I hid it so well!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan shifted to sit by Dolly. “It was sitting in a backpack across the bedroom. It wasn’t even out of sight. I will say it was an inconspicuous bag, one that even I didn’t bother touching, but still!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>D.J. growled and paced to the railing. His head rested against the wooden rods to stare down the steps. It left an ache in Dolly that lasted for a few seconds before she got over it. He knew the risks when it came to peanut butter. She had to keep the ball rolling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wonder who would take from your stash,” Dolly said louder than usual. She held her paw to her chin, straining a frown. She never took her eyes off of D.J.. He sprung with a paw up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Da Vinci,” he muttered. “She caught me bringing them in. And she said she didn’t like peanut butter. I should have known that was a lie. Everyone likes peanut butter!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan shook his head. “Liking peanut butter and being addicted to peanut butter are two different things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Says the tyrant,” D.J. said, taking a small jump to him. Dylan sighed. “We’ll have peanut butter again if it’s the last thing I do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not unless mom–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly wrapped her arm around Dylan’s neck in a hold. “Yeah, you tell him, D.J.! Fight the power!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t you part of…?” he said before blowing a raspberry. “Whatever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>D.J. stalked off while Dylan flailed his arms and made as much noise as possible. Dolly didn’t relent. D.J. took one weirded-out glance back before clambering up the stairs. Dolly leaned to keep him in her sights until he was on the next floor. Her grip loosened, and Dylan broke free. His body slumped to the floor. Every labored breath had him groan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t holding you </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>hard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that for?” he asked as he flipped over to paw the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you kidding?” Dolly pushed back the laugh threatening to break out. “D.J. literally gave us our prime suspect!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan blinked, relaxed his head back, then heaved himself onto his haunches. “Da Vinci?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bingo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, what about him?” Dylan asked. “What does Bingo have to do with this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly stomped a paw and growled through her teeth. “No! Bingo, as in ‘right on the mark!’ Da Vinci is the other player!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Dylan said. Dolly stared at him until he brightened. “Oh! Ohhhh. Gotcha.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re supposed to be the smart one,” Dolly grumbled, throwing a paw over her muzzle. “Sorry, second smartest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan pushed off for the stairs. “Like your plan was so infallible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was valuable, I’ll have you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan faltered at the bottom of the staircase. He opened his mouth before closing it and sighing through his nose. “My plan was just to sit and wait. This whole clue hunt could have been avoided.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Boy,” Dolly chuckled as she walked past him to ascend the stairs. “I was right. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> like to take the fun outta things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just get the pups ready for dinner before they revolt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trigger word!” Dolly laughed. The lack of a stampede and excited echos had her laugh trail off. Her muscles grew less tense as the seconds ticked on. Dylan reached her side. His eyes widening so much Dolly gave an uneasy smile to ease him. “Uh, maybe they’re taking a nap?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan hummed as his lips spread thin. He climbed past her. “Dawkins!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slid into view at the top. His fur was frazzled, and his eyes were wider than Dylan’s. Dolly tensed again. A stone dropped into her stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, um, the pups, yes,” Dawkins said, his paw moving every which way. “The pups were hungry and unruly, and have retreated to the attic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The attic?” Dolly and Dylan said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All because dinner’s running late?” Dolly asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is correct,” Dawkins said with several quick nods. “It’s been an hour since the appointed time for dinner, much later than usual.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An hour!?” Dylan clamped his paws on his head. “Oh Dog. This is why we stick to the schedule.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ve gone longer without food,” Dolly said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not the point,” Dylan hissed. Dolly reeled back, and Dylan rubbed his forehead. “Why the attic though? Why not raid the pantry or Clarissa’s fridge?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A splintering crash from the ceiling followed by a thump had Dawkins cringe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something about a hidden stash of treats?” he said, scratching his cheek. Dolly and Dylan glanced at each other. “I don’t understand it either.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Dolly ducked, and a pup sailed over her head and across the attic before landing on a pad of throw pillows. The pup giggled as she rolled off and bounded back to the makeshift catapult. A bucket with a plank of wood lying across it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly moved to join, but jerked to a stop before she could trip over a pup with a lampshade over his head. He stumbled around until he bumped into a coat stand. It fell over, and the Trilby hat slipped off to plop on top of a pup hopping along the furnituture to reach the top of the dresser. He wiggled in place and jumped onto the catapult to shoot another pup across the attic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan sat agap at the blur of pups dashing every which way. Dolly laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve seen where this goes!” Dante said. He poked his head out of the blanket he hid under. A few pups eyed his quivering body. “Our combined weight and activity will start a chain reaction leading to the entire attic collapsing around us. I call it… attic-geddon!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dawkins strolled past Dylan, his face scrunched up. “Actually, the building had been refurbished in the last five years, allowing the structure to withstand–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my dog! Oh my dog!” Dylan said. He hurried to one part of the attic where the pups tore up the cushions of a long lost sofa before he zipped to the other side to gawk at the flurry of documents scattered around. “What is going on!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You find the treats yet?” Dimitri 3 asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Dimitris had huddled in the corner where the board game sat. Dimitri 2 shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri 1 rested an elbow on the floor to prop his head. “Not even a whiff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri 3 searched around until he lit up at Dolly. “Oi, Dolly! Where do you keep your stash? We’re starvin’ here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly scoffed. “How did a rumor spread that </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> had a hidden stash in the attic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it’s true then?” Dimitri 2 ran up to her. His tail wagged as he pawed the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone, listen up!” Dylan cried. “Dinner is coming if you all just calm down and form an orderly line at the hatch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shoe slammed against the side of his head. He hissed in pain as it dropped next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Dylan,” Delgado said. He took the shoe in his mouth and hurried to Diesel to toss it back to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The fam isn’t even worried about food,” Dolly said. She pointed to Diesel catching the shoe and shaking it around. “See? They can go without dinner for another hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are literally tearing up the attic!” Dylan gestured to the pups playing tug o’ war with a sheet. A rip widened with every pull. “Any longer and attic-whatever will actually happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Attic-geddon,” Dante said nonchalantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that!” Dylan pointed to him while glaring at Dolly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A loud crack had them jump. Dimitri 1 yanked a hammer out of a broken floorboard. Dimitri 2 and 3 sniffed in circles before Dimitri 3 pointed to a spot further away, nodding. Dimitri 1 wound up and swung. Dimitri 2 jerked back just as the hammer slammed into the floorboard. It had Dolly and Dylan spring forward and each take hold of the hammer. They had it out of Dimitri 1’s paws before he realized it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> is not okay!” Dolly said. She passed it over to Dylan. The Dimitris wilted under her gaze, as they should. “Why do you want those treats anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Dimitris shuffled their paws around until Dimitri 2 held his head high. “Because it has peanut butter! Everyone likes–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peanut butter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice was lost to the pups repeating his words. Dolly angled her ear to every utterance as it swept through the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peanut butter!” Diesel cried before diving into one of the broken planks of wood. His hind legs kicked out as his body shimmied in place. “Dig-dig-dig!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pups broke into a frenzy. They echoed peanut butter so much it became white noise. Dolly couldn’t keep track of any of them. The floor and furniture were a blur of black and white, and what few pups she could discern merged back into the fray. One rammed into her. She caught herself before another pup stepped on her paw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ouch!” She winced and backed against the table away from the scramble. She eased out a breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan wobbled from atop the pups. He washed around the room as though caught in a storm at sea. Each of his cries came in and out of focus as he tumbled head over tail. Dolly sputtered and clutched her stomach as she laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, please be careful!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci had Dolly blink out of her mirth as though struck by lightning. Her handkerchief made it easier for Da Vinci to stand out. There was so much movement she struggled to make her way through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t mess up the board!” she said. It was desperate. Her allergic reaction had lessened, but made it easier to make out her worry. An odd pang pinched Dolly’s heart. She knew she had to do something, but didn’t know what.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci squeezed past two pups digging at the floorboards and tumbled into the corner. Dolly leapt onto the table for a better view. Da Vinci stiffened at the chessboard. A few pieces had fallen, and a few more had rolled off. Da Vinci held her paw, opening and closing, pulling in and out, until a hammer crashed beside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrenaline shot through Dolly. Da Vinci yelped and tripped onto the board. Whatever pieces were left fell off to bounce into every corner of the attic. The pups kicked the other pieces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly thrusted out her paw. Dylan did the same. “The paws means pause!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room came to an abrupt halt. All eyes were on either Dolly or Dylan. The lack of noise had Dolly’s ears burn again. She shook them and hopped off the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan and Dawkins spoke with the pups. A handful went on their way, but the activity had died down. The Dimitris made themselves small against the wall. Dolly leveled a glare their way until her paw kicked a piece. The king skittered away from her to bump against Da Vinci. She flinched her head to Dolly. Her frown put Dolly off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s up?” Dolly asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… The game…” Da Vinci lowered her head and turned away. “I was playing chess with someone. But now it’s ruined.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly gave a curt shrug. “It’s just a game, Da Vinci. There’ll be more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Da Vinci got to her paws to walk to Dolly. Her head so low her bandana dragged along the floor. “It’s just… I don’t know who I was playing with. I’d make a move, then come back to find he’d made a move. We never met.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eh, it can’t be hard to figure out,” Dolly said. It made her jittery to lead Da Vinci on. “You could probably put the board back to normal and work from there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I wanted to play </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> game.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That plucked a chord in Dolly. It bugged her to no end, and she rubbed her arm to ease it away. It was Da Vinci. She wasn’t someone to get worked up over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s… chess.” Dolly gestured to the board. A chuckle nearly escaped her. “Whoever your mystery player is would understand. It’s not a fun game, so don’t worry about the match itself. Any dusty board will do, and when you solve who it is, you can hang up that collar and move on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci widened her eyes. Dolly swore they were misty before trailing down to her paws. The sight chilled Dolly to the bone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Da Vinci nudged a pawn laying at her paws. “Okay. I’ll… I’ll wait till everyone’s done then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly didn’t like it one bit. Chess was for people that like to sit around thinking. Even Poodlewolf could get imaginative and entertaining. As Da Vinci trudged past her, Dolly jumped through hoops in her mind to figure her out. It was as though someone had sucker punched her in the gut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chess isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> bad,” Dylan muttered, scowling. It was his usual annoyance whenever Dolly messed with him, but it weighed on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t get it.” She swallowed a lump. “What does Da Vinci see in that game? She’s not the type to sit and think. She’s more the paint-what-I-feel, go-with-the-flow type. Like me! The mystery was the best thing to happen to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan grunted. “Maybe for you. I felt like my insides would melt down at any moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds about right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it was kind of fun to do it with you.” Dylan rubbed his chin. Dolly narrowed her eyes at him. “I said ‘kind of.’ I still think we could have pushed it off for the evening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You weren’t into the whole mystery thing?” Dolly asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s see,” Dylan stepped away to wave the pups along. They grouped around the hatch and filed down the latter one at a time. “I’m way behind on my chores </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> the pups ransacked the attic. You were so passionate about it though. I guess I didn’t want to ruin your fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It dawned on Dolly, and her guts smushed together to make her feel worse. “Oh my dog, I’m an idiot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Dylan asked before Dolly rushed past him, leapt over the pups, and plummeted down the hatch. They watched her stick the landing and hurry off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, so,” Dante said from his blanket, tugging at his collar. “Attic-geddeon was not as destructive as I predicted, but still soul crushing, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dylan shook his head with a firm scowl. Dante gave a sheepish chuckle.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Dolly padded into the backyard. It was still and quiet. A breeze had her shiver, and the cloud cover threatened to crush her. Da Vinci was around. Dolly felt it. A place away from the family to express her feelings. Another lump formed in Dolly’s throat. The situation was all too familiar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stepped lightly in a small circle. She smelled traces of paint. It clung to every aspect of the backyard, from the trampoline to the pillows littered on the grass. Dolly growled at the lack of buckets or canvasses. She pushed off back for the door before hearing a splatter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly veered towards a pillow to give herself some height. Her ears perked at the slightest sound until a wet slosh drifted by. The alleyway. It made the most sense. Dolly eyed the trampoline and trailed her gaze over to the far wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She clutched her paw. “Let’s do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kicked off towards the house before pushing off the brick wall and heading full speed for the trampoline. She hopped onto it to launch past the treehouse and over the wall. She braced her legs against the building to land onto the trash can and hop down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gotcha!” Dolly said. A spray can rolled out of a bag towards her. She put her paw out to stop it. “I had a feeling you were here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci spared a few seconds to gawk at her. A bag of paint cans and sprays rested by her side. Dolly made to speak, but Da Vinci spun back to her painting. Her black-soaked paw hesitated before brushing against the bricks where an image of a queen chess piece overlapped her older paintings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The same old wall. It wasn’t a blank canvass any more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The newer splatters were small. Batches of inspiration, like Dolly had with her skateboard. Coming back after so long made her feel guilty. Da Vinci didn’t spare her another glance. Dolly shuffled to the side. The queen piece was tipped to one side. It had had the eloquence Dolly had mocked the game for, and it had her face plastered onto it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why am I the queen?” Dolly asked, pointing to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because!” Da Vinci spat. She simmered down to slouch. Her painted paw smeared lines in the pavement. “Because… I-I don’t know.” Dolly took careful steps closer. “I painted the queen after finding the board in the attic. You always reminded me of the queen in chess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly pursed her lips to stop herself from denying it. A queen was regal, huffy, and made a big deal about everything. It probably wasn’t the reason Da Vinci thought of her as one. She plopped down next to Da Vinci. The painting was a simple design – a dark silhouette with her face – but Dolly took in every detail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would Dylan be?” she asked. Da Vinci blinked before regarding her own painting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The king.” Da Vinci cracked a smile. “Slow and uptight, but the whole family would be lost without him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Delgado would totally be a rook.” Dolly stifled a laugh. “Moving in a straight line and not stopping until he hit something. And Dawkins is perfect as a knight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Knights do have complicated moves, don’t they?” Da Vinci said with a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly had plenty of ideas for the others. Deepak as a bishop stood out to her. They fell away as the pause lingered. Staring at herself as the queen made her feel emptier and emptier. Dolly wished Da Vinci had thrown a fit or anything manageable. This hurt so much more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly released a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Da Vinci. I was… Maybe if I… I-I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She berated herself. It wasn’t enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t think you of all the pups would get into chess, and the mystery was so exciting to me that I didn’t think what others thought, and I didn’t think…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly clamped her teeth together. She sounded like a mess. She took a deep breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, I just wasn’t thinking at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mystery?” Da Vinci asked, looking up to her. “What mystery did you have?” A second passed before she gasped. “You were the other player.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly didn’t trust herself to speak. She nodded instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci hummed. The cogs in her head spun and spun. Dolly could see how Da Vinci could get into chess. There was plenty of Dylan in her too. It made Dolly feel lighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you played to figure out...?” Da Vinci asked. Dolly nodded again. Da Vinci grunted and stepped to the side to dunk her paw in black paint. Her paw smeared it next to the queen piece. “That’s definitely a Dolly thing to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And it felt like a Da Vinci thing to do too.” Dolly held her paw to her. “What do you see in that game?” She flinched before waving her paws around. “N-not that it’s a bad thing!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her forced chuckle got a smirk out of Da Vinci. She painted for a few more seconds until she stepped back to judge her work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly played with her paws. “I know how to play, but it feels so slow. How do you get into it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci glanced at her. Her paw adjusted her handkerchief. It left a streak of paint across it. She dipped her paw in the paint bucket and let some drip back in before pressing it onto the wall. All the while her brows furrowed deeper and deeper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When I paint, I go with the flow. I get a spark of inspiration, and I take it to the canvas before it’s gone. That’s why I like abstract art. It’s quick and gets my feelings across.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly eased back as Da Vinci brushed by her to reach higher up on the wall. Both paws black as coal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chess gave me that same spark. That spark to act. I don’t sit and think. I adapt to what’s laid out by knowing what I can and can’t do. Art is defined by its limitations, and chess is the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You make your move on instinct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci pulled a paw back with a thoughtful hum. “More like inspiration.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly suppressed a groan. Speaking with her was like speaking with Dylan about Poodlewolf. It gnawed at her how well the comparison worked. She was here for Da Vinci. The more she rolled the explanation in her head, the more boring it came out to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re taking this better than I am,” Dolly said with a shake of her head. “I don’t get it at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci kept painting, but her shoulders sagged. Dolly hated to see it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Buuuut,” Dolly said. Da Vinci pulled away from the wall. Her tail wagged as her eyes widened. “I’m willing to play more games to find out.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Da Vinci set down her bishop. “Check.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly leaned her head toward the board. “Check what?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Check your king cause he’s in trouble,” Da Vinci chuckled, pointing to the board. “It’s a chess term.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly cleared her throat to hide her wince. Another detail to remember. A quick breath was all she needed to regain her spirit. She slid her king back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncheck!” She crossed her arms and sat back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci shook her head with a smile. Her paw notched a queen a smidge. “Check again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gah,” Dolly said. She rested her chin on the floor. The must of the attic still lingered until she snorted. “How are you so good?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s more that you’re so bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well…” Dolly shifted her weight. She moved her own queen to intercept the other. “I think I’m getting the hang of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wrong move, Dolly.” Da Vinci bolstered herself as she took her queen and knocked down Dolly’s king. Dolly hung her jaw open. “And that's game!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I let you win,” Dolly said. She held her breath. Da Vinci tilted her head with a knowing smirk. An ache emerged in Dolly’s lungs until she released her breath. “One more match.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think so, kibble-for-brains,” Dylan said. He hefted himself up to brace his paws at the hatch. His eyes were half-lidded and squared on Dolly. She bit back a retort, knowing why he was here. “You did break your promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was hoping you’d forget,” Dolly said with a half-shrug. Dylan narrowed his eyes. “Fine. What do ya got?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re standing in it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The attic had enough knocked-over furniture to make a maze of wood and cloth. Books, documents, and other stuff left an extra layer over the floor from overturned boxes. An excited glee ran through Dolly from the catapult still in place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t even think about it,” Dylan sighed. His nose wrinkled as his head pulled back before whipping forward in a sneeze. “And don’t forget to dust.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly collapsed onto the floor in a huff. Dylan muttered something about priorities as he descended down the ladder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave it to ol’ buzzkill,” Dolly said as she pushed back onto her paws.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can help!” Da Vinci said with a small hop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can,” Dolly said, “but I don’t think you want to. Besides, when have you been excited to help clean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci drew back. Her head hung low as she played with her handkerchief. A stifling dread filled inside Dolly like a liquid. It drained out when she spotted a smile on Da Vinci.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just feel like it,” she said with a pep to her step. “Kinda like a spark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you share some of that?” Dolly asked as she followed Da Vinci towards the catapult. “I could use some spark right about now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci giggled. Her head tilted back to follow the wooden beams. “You know, one thing’s been bugging me. How come you and Dylan didn’t ask the family who was playing the chess game?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolly halted mid-stride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Were you that into the mystery?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A tingling sensation spread along Dolly’s fur.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or maybe you didn’t consider it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the mystery, of course!” Dolly said louder than necessary. She strolled up with stiff legs. Her toothy smile strained to keep up. “Definitely not because it never came to mind. We’re not idiots!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Da Vinci grinned. It was genuine and pushed her cheeks up to have her eyes close. It warmed Dolly to the core, and her forced smile fell into a far more natural one. They needed to start another chess game. Each match gave her a sense of thrill, though it wasn’t the game itself that did it.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Any and all feedback is appreciated.</p><p>Huge thanks to spotty8ee for proofreading, beta reading, feedback, and edits!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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